BUSINESSDESK: Incoming Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler says amendments to the policy targets agreement gives the bank more authority "to lean against the build-up of financial imbalances" in the economy.

Mr Wheeler today signed the PTA with Finance Minister Bill English, who says he had not wanted to make big changes to an accord that "has served New Zealand well".

But the tweaks to the latest incarnation include a tighter definition of inflation targeting. In additional to keeping inflation between 1% and 3% on average over the medium term, the governor must "focus on keeping future average inflation near 2%".

An increased focus on financial stability will let the central bank be more proactive in going after build-ups of pressure in the economy to prevent bubbles bursting, such as in the property market before the global financial crisis.

The bank could act to "prevent a sharper economic cycle in the future".

The new PTA leaves unchanged the requirement to "avoid unnecessary instability in output, interest rates and the exchange rate".

Mr Wheeler and Mr English also say the bank is working on developing a suite of other "macro-prudential policy" which "should be separate from, but complementary to, monetary policy".

Labour finance opposition spokesman David Parker says the PTA should have given the central bank greater powers to lean against the strength of the kiwi dollar, which is currently above 82 US cents.

"Making changes to the Reserve Bank Act is essential to make the currency more competitive, to pay our way in the world and grow the jobs and incomes ordinary kiwis need," he says.

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3 Comments & Questions

So he "leans" on a "housing bubble" by raising interest rates, as a consequence the $ rises and once again our exporters are screwed and imported junk becomes cheaper. Brilliant!!
All this taught at our universities at taxpayers expense!

Everybody is patting themselves on the back with inflation under control at 3%.
Households biggest expense is housing. Housing is NOT included in the inflation figures.
Surely this makes a mockery of our inflation figures, especially when houses are increasing in
price well in excess of 10% in Auckland.
An investor will get a better return investing in a rental property which does not create any jobs, than investing in a business.
Surely, one does not have to be an economist to realise the Reserve Bank /Government needs to put the brakes on housing in Auckland before it gets completely out of control.

We believe it is a good move to give the new man wider powers rather than focusing solely on inflation.
The main problem NZ now has is lack of growth and as has been said many times the last RB management was not sufficiently focused on growth due to total emphasis on inflation targets.
liberte